Kaduna State has recorded a steady rise in tuberculosis (TB) detection, with the Ministry of Health confirming 22,321 cases in 2025, compared to 21,557 in 2022, marking a three per cent increase and an impressive 102 per cent achievement of its target.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kaduna to commemorate the 2026 World Tuberculosis Day, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Aishatu Abubakar-Sadiq, highlighted the state’s progress and renewed commitment to tackling the disease.
She noted that the global theme, Yes We Can End TB, reflects commitments made by world leaders at the United Nations high-level meeting on tuberculosis to eliminate the disease by 2030 through stronger prevention, diagnosis, treatment, funding, and efforts to combat stigma.
Providing further details, Abubakar-Sadiq revealed that every detected case in the state was placed on treatment, ensuring full enrolment, while Kaduna achieved a 98.7 per cent treatment success rate—surpassing the 97.6 per cent benchmark.
She added that all 732 patients co-infected with TB and HIV were placed on antiretroviral therapy and preventive care. In addition, 11,325 eligible contacts were enrolled in preventive treatment to curb transmission within communities.
According to her, TB screening has expanded significantly, with 340 health facilities conducting outpatient checks for over 454,000 individuals. This effort identified more than 40,000 suspected cases and confirmed 3,563 infections, all of whom were immediately placed on treatment.
The state has also strengthened its diagnostic reach by deploying mobile trucks fitted with GeneXpert machines and digital X-ray systems, enabling access to underserved and remote communities. This innovation, she said, has earned Kaduna national recognition for its resource mobilisation drive.
Abubakar-Sadiq further disclosed that facilities offering TB services have grown from 298 in 2017 to 1,282 in 2025, spanning both public and private healthcare providers, with ongoing expansion to widen access and improve detection rates across the state.
She explained that the state’s approach includes active case search initiatives, house-to-house visits, hospital-based screenings, collaboration with private healthcare providers, support through nutrition clinics, provision of free chest X-rays, and integrated services for people living with HIV.
Kaduna has also enhanced its diagnostic capacity with the deployment of GeneXpert, TB LAMP, TrueNat, LF LAM, and microscopy services across all local government areas, significantly improving its response to TB cases.
Urging sustained collaboration, the permanent secretary called on residents, organisations, and stakeholders to intensify support for TB control programmes. She stressed that early testing, especially for persistent cough, is critical, reassuring that both diagnosis and treatment remain fr
